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What you need to know

The Texas Legislature hits the halfway point today in a special session that's expected to take up most if not all of the 30 days it's allowed. While the Senate has passed 20 bills related to 18 items on Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda and the House has passed eight bills touching on four of his priorities, legislation has yet to hit the governor's desk. Here's what you need to know:

• There haven't been a ton of surprises so far. The Senate, headed by the conservative Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is championing a "pass 'em all" and "20 for 20" approach, while the House, led by the more moderate Speaker Joe Straus, is being more deliberate in mapping its own course. Both chambers, in one way or another, have patted themselves on the back for their intentional styles — and several themes that defined the 140-day regular session have seemingly stuck around the Capitol so far.